Vivian Blanche Small

Vivian Blanche Small (1875–1946) was an American educational leader. For 32 years, she served as the fourth president of Lake Erie College;^[1][2] in 1941, upon her retirement, she was bestowed the title, President Emeritus.^[3]

Vivian Blanche Small
Smith in 1896
Born	September 17, 1875 Gardiner, Maine, U.S.
Died	May 15, 1946 Portland, Maine, U.S.
Alma mater	Mount Holyoke College University of Chicago Case Western Reserve University
Occupation	Educator
Known for	President, Lake Erie College (1909–1941)

Early life and education

Vivian Blanche Small was born in Gardiner, Maine, September 17, 1875. Her parents were Leander Marshall and Annie Blanche (Payne) Small.^[4][5]

Small graduated in 1892 from Gardiner High School.^[2] She earned a B.A. degree from Mount Holyoke College (Classics, 1896); M.A. degree from the University of Chicago (Latin, 1905); Litt.D. from Mount Holyoke College in 1912; and an LL.D. from Case Western Reserve University in 1913.^[2][4][5]

Career

Smith in 1912

Her early career included teaching at Gorham High School, Gorham, Maine, 1896–98; and at Howe School, Billerica, Massachusetts, 1898–1901. At Mount Holyoke College, she served as Assistant in Latin, 1901–02; instructor, 1902–08; associate professor, Latin, 1908–09; and head of Mead Hall, 1907–09. On July 1, 1909, Small became president of Lake Erie College,^[4][5] retiring on September 1, 1941.^[2]

During the period of 1917–23, she served as an alumni trustee at Mount Holyoke.^[6]

Personal life

In religion, she was a Congregationalist.^[4][5]

During her tenure at Lake Eric College, Small resided in Painesville, Ohio.^[4] In 1941, 5 short pieces for girls chorus (1941), by Julius Hijman, lyrics by Carl Sandburg, was dedicated to Small and the Lake Erie College Choir.^[7]

Vivian Blanche Small died at a nursing home in Portland, Maine, May 15, 1946.^[2]

Selected works

• The Use of Nomen and Cognomen in the Poems of Catullus, 1905